Quick question – how do you uninstall programs on Mac?
If your answer is to drag the app to the Trash, we’re sorry to say that you’ve been doing it wrong.
You probably know or guess that you can remove apps by dragging them to the Trash bin, but it is not quite so. Dragging normal files like documents and movies to the Trash works fine. But doing the same for apps leaves gigabytes of leftover junk files on your hard drive. We’re going to show you what gets left behind and what you can do to completely uninstall apps from here on out.
Easy Steps to Completely Uninstall Applications under macOS Sierra The best macOS Sierra App uninstaller should be very simple to use. DoYourData AppUninser is very easy to use. You can easily uninstall software apps under macOS Sierra with DoYourData AppUninser.
How to uninstall on Mac
Uninstall applications using Launchpad Open Launchpad in the Dock Hold down the Command key and click on any app Wait until the apps start shaking. To open the uninstaller, double-click it in the Downloads window. Note: If the Flash Player installer window does not appear, choose Go Desktop in the Finder. Scroll down to the Devices section and click Uninstall Flash Player. To run the uninstaller, double-click the Uninstaller icon in the window.
If you are trying to delete an old application, reinstall a corrupted software or just free up disk space on your Mac, removing all components of the program is important. These include the app, its preferences and support files, and sometimes other hidden files.
To completely uninstall a program on Mac you have to choose one of three options:
The ways mentioned above include navigating your Mac’s in search of the apps you want to remove and then locating their remaining data. The latter can take even more place than the app itself and can be stored anywhere in your folders.
I prefer clearing my Mac from apps using special software made for this particular task - CleanMyMac X. It’s Uninstaller feature, is an app-killer that sweeps away any program you don’t want on your Mac and clears remaining junk.
Now let’s go ahead and delete some apps!
1. Uninstall Mac apps using Trash
Whether you're running macOS Catalina or an earlier macOS, like Mojave or Sierra, the process of manually uninstalling remains relatively similar. Here’s what you need to do:
And the app is gone.
Even uninstalling apps on macOS Catalina requires getting rid of leftovers, despite the fact that it's the latest and the most sophisticated system for Mac. Apple has done such a good job on macOS 10.15 but left this unfortunate issue unresolved for another year.
To completely remove programs from Mac manually, you have to find all the associated files that come along with the app. That means not just dragging the app icon to the Trash from your Applications folder, but searching the depths of the system files on your Mac.
We’re going to reveal the locations of the most common files that are associated with apps. To remove the app leftovers from your Mac just navigate to each of these folders and hunt for the app you want to remove. If you find files with the app name you can send them to the Trash.
So, when uninstalling any software, you have to go over each of these folders one by one and remove the following:
There are many more hidden files, some of which cannot be accessed by the user. And macOS/OS X will prevent you from deleting some app files.
As you can see, it's not that easy to uninstall applications Mac doesn't need, even when you know what to do. By the way, be sure to look for the name of the app in the file names of the files you remove. Don’t remove anything you don’t know! Do your due diligence before removing something from your system.
When you delete software on Mac manually, be sure only to remove an app file or folder when you’re sure of what it is. Look at the name very carefully before you nuke it. Removing the wrong files could cause problems with your system.
Remember, please be careful when deleting system files — you never know how it will affect your Mac if you remove the wrong ones (or the right ones for that matter!).
![]() 2. Uninstall Mac programs with Launchpad
How to uninstall on Mac by using the Launchpad? It's easy and this manual method works like this:
This will uninstall the app from your Mac. However, keep in mind that after removing the program, you should also delete its leftovers as we've described above.
Can't delete apps on Mac?
Unfortunately, manual methods won’t get everything. Some apps are pre-installed macOS components and protected by the system while others will refuse to delete because they are already open (even though that’s often not true).
So, how to delete the apps on Mac that won't delete? You can try the manual removal after force quitting the app in question (press Command-Option-Esc and if the app is on the list shut it down) or rebooting your Mac.
If you're still unable to delete apps on Mac or if you’re worried you won't do it correctly and want a safer alternative, there’s the easy method of uninstalling apps from your Mac so you don't have to force delete applications. It actually does a better (and safer) job and in a fraction of the time. Read on to learn how to delete apps on Mac automatically.
3. Uninstall apps with CleanMyMac X
When I referred to the easy method of uninstalling apps, I meant using CleanMyMac X. As for me, deleting apps is a pretty tiresome task. I’ve always put away this chore, as it will waste a huge amount of my time. But, my Mac was running low on free storage, so I decided to try CleanMyMac X to fix this problem and uninstall programs on Mac with ease. I used the Uninstaller module to get rid of multiple apps at once. Here’s what you need to do:
As you can see, CleanMyMac X shows precisely how much place each app takes, so it’s easier to detect the heaviest programs. Another benefit is that you can bulk uninstall programs on Mac without dragging each app and its files to the Trash.
Is it possible to delete system files on Mac?
CleanMyMac X doesn’t let you delete system apps like Safari. Neither of Mac cleaners can do that. But, CleanMyMac X allows you to delete the data associated with system apps and reset them completely. Click CleanMyMac X’s menu in the upper-left corner and choose Preferences. Go to Ignore List and click Uninstaller. Here uncheck the box next to “Ignore system applications.”
Now, you can close Preferences and go back to Uninstaller. Click ► next to the app's icon to show its files. Then check the data you want to delete and choose Reset from the drop-down list next to the app’s icon. Then press Remove.
It will help to clear some space on your Mac. Note that your app logs may also disappear after the reset.
4. Use the native uninstaller
Many applications are designed to clean after themselves. They come with a built-in uninstaller — a self-destroying utility bundled with the main app. This is mostly true for third-party apps that you download from the internet. That’s why native uninstallers remain more of a Windows thing, not much heard of in the Mac world.
The original uninstallers can be found in Finder > Applications. If your app looks like a folder (within the Applications folder) most likely it will have a separate uninstaller. The name will read [Your app] Uninstaller or Uninstall [Your App].
Open the folder, find the launcher, and just follow the onscreen instructions. After the removal is complete, you can enjoy your extra storage space!
Clear app leftovers: preferences files and caches
No sane developer wants people to delete their application. As your desperate ex, they would do everything to stay on your Mac, like planting pieces of their software around your Mac so one day they can return. Support files, preference files, and caches — all these will likely remain even if you’ve deleted the app itself.
Here I’ll show you how to root out these remaining traces. I’ll use the Telegram app as an example. Delete application support files
Click on Finder > Go to Folder… (in the upper menu).
Paste in: ~/Library/Application Support/Your App Name
In my case it's:
~/Library/Application Support/Telegram
Now, delete the content of this folder.
Delete application Preferences
The Preferences folder contains your user settings. These files are tiny but there’s no reason not to delete them, just out of principle.
Click on Finder > Go to Folder… Paste in: ~/Library/Preferences/
Open the folder. Now type the name of your app in the search bar. Click to search 'Preferences.” Delete the found items.
Delete the caches
In the same vein, you’ll have to delete the remaining app caches.
This time, use the following command to paste in Finder > Go to Folder.. Paste this: ~/Library/Caches/Your App Name
Note: In some cases, you need to search for the app developer's name, rather than the name of the app.
Delete leftovers with CleanMyMac X
If you’ve been doing a 'spring cleaning' in your Applications folder, chances are some files are still left somewhere in your Mac’s system. CleanMyMac X detects and collects them into the Leftovers tab.
Go to Uninstaller once again and select Leftovers. Select all the remaining files and press Uninstall to say goodbye to the app remains.
Now you are just as good at uninstalling applications on Mac as any Apple engineer. Hopefully, you now have plenty of free space. Don't miss a few related articles below.
These might also interest you:
'How can I uninstall iTunes on Mac? Long story short, I want to remove iTunes 12 from my Mac (High Sierra) and then reinstall. But whenever I try to remove its folder, it says it can't do that.'
Uninstalling iTunes Mac requires patience and skill, unlike removing iTunes on Windows - just click 'Start menu' > 'Control Panel' > 'Uninstall a program'.
This is because iTunes is pre-installed on every Mac as the default app, and the protection limit called SIP will prevent you from making any changes to iTunes, including uninstallation. If you insist on uninstalling, a warning will pop up:
This pop looks bad, you might think that iTunes is not removable. But in fact, you can delete iTunes from Mac.
Want to know how to uninstall iTunes on Mac? Please check below.
Part 1. How to Uninstall iTunes on Mac through the Terminal
Firstly, I introduce you to a practical way to remove SIP restrictions and delete iTunes Mac. But you should be careful when operating. If you have some computer foundation, then this method is right for you.
1. First Enter Recovery Mode: Press the Command + R shortcut when restarting the Mac.
2. Enter the Terminal: Click 'Utilities' in the upper options and select 'Terminal'.
3. Disable SIP: After entering the terminal, you need to enter the command that is consistent with the figure below, and then click the 'Return' button (csrutil disable).
4. Enter Administrator System: You will need to restart Mac and log in to the administrator account.
5. Display Application Directory: After that, type the command (cd / Applications /) to display the application directory.
6. Remove iTunes from Mac: Enter command (sudo rm -rf iTunes.app/) to delete the default iTunes.
Only the administrator can delete the built-in apps, and on the terminal, you will uninstall iTunes on a Mac without confirming the operation. It is recommended to re-enable SIP: type the command (csrutil enable) on the terminal interface.
Part 2. How to Delete iTunes from Mac as An Administrator
The above method involves the writing of commands and is too technical. If you have an administrator password, you can change administrative privileges.
Here how to use the terminal to uninstall iTunes on Mac:
1. iTunes.app File: Find iTunes.app file under the 'Applications' folder.
2. Go to iTunes Info Interface: Right-click 'iTunes.app' and then click 'Get Info' in the list of messages that appear.
3. Enter Administrator Info: Click the padlock icon in the lower right corner of the window to enter the administrator password.
4. Get Permission to Change: Under 'Sharing & Permissions', change the right side of 'Everyone' to 'Read & Write' permission.
5. Remove iTunes: After that, drag the iTunes app to the trash.
6. Completely Uninstall iTunes:
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Tips: How to Reinstall iTunes on Mac
Reinstalling iTunes on Mac is not a problem. You can just download the latest version from the official iTunes website.
Tips: Completely Uninstall and Reinstall iTunes PC via TunesFix
As you can see, the general approaches require complex steps and an administrator account. Patience, time and data are indispensable. Now you can completely uninstall iTunes on Windows PC with just a few clicks.
FoneCope TunesFix is one of the best iTunes Repair tools that lets you get rid of iTunes issues & errors without any residue.
Why Choose FoneCope TunesFix?
1. Easily and quickly fix the issue - can't uninstall iTunes on Windows.
2. iTunes and its components have been completely removed.
3. It can also clean up junk files and delete iTunes backups.
4. Almost fully automatic repair issues like iTunes invalid respond, installation/update, restore/backup etc.
5. Heritage foundation app mac. Even if you don't know the error/issue, you can restore iTunes to normal with clicks.
Steps to completely uninstall and reinstall iTunes on PC
Step 1. Download FoneCope TunesFix on PC
Download and install the Tunesfix on computer via the download link above. Then it will automatically detect your iTunes component. Once it is determined that there is no damage/lost, you can enter the main interface.
Step 2. Enter 'Fully Uninstall' Mode and Start Uninstalling
Select 'Fully Uninstall' from the 7 modes. Then click 'Uninstall' and the process of automatically uninstalling iTunes will begin.
Tip: If you want to uninstall iTunes while deleting all files on iTunes, mark 'Also delete user data..' before clicking 'Uninstall'.
Step 3. Uninstall iTunes on Windows Done and Reinstall
After deleting iTunes, you can directly reinstall iTunes by clicking 'Click here'.
How To Uninstall App On Mac Sierra
The software has a perfect appearance and stable performance and is easy to uninstall completely.
How To Uninstall Program MacbookThe Bottom Line
This article describes 2 ways to uninstall iTunes on Mac. The 2 methods have long lists of steps and technical issues. If you are a technology-oriented person, choose one of the methods to uninstall/install iTunes for free. FoneCope TunesFix introduced in the tips, it works for everyone. If you want to quickly remove PC iTunes and its components, I recommend that you try it for free.
Delete An App From The Macbook Air
No matter which method you use to delete iTunes Mac, you can contact us in the comments area if you have problems during the uninstall process. A professional technical team is at your service!
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